Idaho Prison Blog

In early January, 2023, some officers - based on bidding and other factors - were assigned to work at different posts. For some, these new posts were welcome, for others, not so much. In F block, one officer who was newly assigned started things out on a bad foot. During his very first shift on the unit, he "harassed" (as it is described) several (30-50) inmates on various matters. After several complaints to other staff about this officer's actions, the harassment of prisoners became worse. Scuttlebutt (i.e., rumor) held that staff this officer last worked with forced him out of their midst. On January 21, 2023 this guard spent inordinate amounts of time "searching" a handful of inmate cells, taking several items of authorized property, and reportedly destroying much more. Where most officers spend 5 to 20 minutes in an average search, this officer spent well more than an hour in each of the cells that evening. During a reported conversation with one of the pri...

As the price of eggs and other food continues to climb, the IDOC has decided to cut eggs from the common fare menu altogether. In a case filed in the United States District Court in 2017, (Bartlett v. Atencio, Case No. 1:17-cv-00191), the IDOC agreed to provide frozen kosher, unopened (double packaged) meals (known as Common Fare) to prisoners who request them. Since the first day they were served, IDOC staff have done everything they can to dissuade prisoners from signing up to receive the common fare meals, including (but certainly not limited to) purchasing the lowest quality and least popular meals available on the market. This has to do primarily with the cost of the meals, which is in excess of five times the cost of a traditional in-house (mainline) meal. The Monday, Wednesday and Friday common fare breakfast meals consist of a half cup of scrambled eggs and half a cup potatoes (mixed), a cup of diced, cooked carrots, cereal, and a half pint of milk. Sunday, Tuesday and Friday b...

In the past, "incentive" programs at the ISCC were held to allow prisoners who remained disciplinary offense report (DOR) free for a specific amount of time (usually 6 months) to order items (at their own cost) - usually food such as pizza, burgers, chicken, etc. - from local businesses. The businesses would realize a profit, and a markup of anywhere between 10 and 50 percent would cover [staff] labor costs, and delivery of the food, and an additional markup would be donated to a charity, such as the Idaho Food Bank, Boise Rescue Mission, etc. By all known accounts, the program was successful in reducing overall violence and promoted positive behavior throughout the facility. Not anymore, as according to ISCC staff, the incentive program is now limited exclusively to the privileged few inmates who have the ear (and possibly other parts) of prison administrators, Based on reports, the incentives provided to these select few privileged inmates also receive priority over constit...

In news reports during the last week of December, 2022, ISCC officials have advised the media who have been investigating a lack of hot water for showers at the prison that of the 3 boilers that provide hot water to approximately 1,800 of the 2,200 prisoners at the facility, 1 went offline on December 17th, and a second went down on December 24th. If the reporting of the media is accurate, then the[ir] source data is incorrect. In fact, 1 of the boilers went down in early December, with the second going on and off intermittently before it and the third going completely offline on December 20, despite what IDOC news releases may have contained. In an article posted on this site titled CHRISTMAS SPIRIT LACKING THIS YEAR sent from the prison on December 16, 2022, I wrote the following: "The food has been virtually inedible lately, we've lived with little if any hot water most of the month, the TV channels are almost always out, and administrators refuse even to address the issues...